Asia – North & Atlantic Europe
The map shows the Suez corridor, but in September 2026 most Asia–North Europe capacity still sails round the Cape of Good Hope.
Europe · sea freight from Dalian
Dalian to Hartlepool
Yellow Sea · Taiwan Strait · Malacca Strait · Indian Ocean · Bab-el-Mandeb · Suez Canal · Strait of Gibraltar · English Channel
This route runs out of Dalian, the north-east's gateway on the Yellow Sea, then follows a voyage that may run through Suez as drawn or round the Cape, depending on the service; at the far end is the port of Hartlepool.
The UK side asks for an S&S GB declaration, a battery producer registration and harbour notice. This page sets out 5 points specific to this route, how Anxin handles each one and which documents to prepare.
What we need to start
Route profile
The map shows the Suez corridor, but in September 2026 most Asia–North Europe capacity still sails round the Cape of Good Hope.
An S&S GB entry summary 24 hours before loading, UK battery producer registration with a BPRN, and 24-hour dangerous goods notice to the harbour master.


Where this route gets difficult
They run from the Dalian terminal through the voyage to Hartlepool and the United Kingdom import file.
Dalian's battery flow is modest: Dalian MSA recorded 885 TEU of lithium battery exports in the first four months of 2025, and Liaoning's first export under JT/T 1543 left Dayaowan on 4 May 2025. Carriers should refuse batteries that fail JT/T 1543, and a thin flow leaves fewer alternative sailings when a booking is turned down.
What Anxin does: We check JT/T 1543 conformity evidence with the manufacturer before booking and confirm the carrier's acceptance of the UN numbers in writing.
Routing round Africa takes battery boxes past the Cape. The World Shipping Council counted 576 containers lost at sea in 2024, and the South African Maritime Safety Authority estimates around 200 of them, about 35%, were lost near the Cape; in August 2024 SAMSA reported 99 boxes lost from the CMA CGM Belem off Richards Bay and 46 from the MSC Antonio off Port St Johns in winter weather.
What Anxin does: When the booking goes via the Cape, we apply the CINS stuffing checks (gaps, blocking, wall clearance) more strictly and ask for photos at every stage of packing.
The UK's S&S GB service must hold the entry summary for a Hartlepool container 24 hours before it is loaded in Dalian. Whoever issued the bill of lading answers for it, and a late booking rolls to a later vessel rather than being loaded unfiled.
What Anxin does: We settle who issues the bill of lading at booking and pass complete consignee and goods data to that party before the Dalian cut-off.
The road leg out of Hartlepool is regulated by the Carriage of Dangerous Goods Regulations 2009, which make ADR the rulebook for dangerous goods on British roads, with national derogations. UN 3480 moves as class 9, so the haulier needs the same package and UN details as the ocean declaration.
What Anxin does: We give the UK haulier the UN number, class and package details from the sea dangerous goods declaration so the road paperwork from Hartlepool matches what left Dalian.
Batteries sold in the UK may contain no more than 0.0005 % mercury and 0.002 % cadmium by weight, subject to listed exceptions, and those above 0.004 % lead need the Pb symbol beneath the bin symbol. The Office for Product Safety and Standards enforces the rules.
What Anxin does: We ask the manufacturer for a substance statement covering mercury, cadmium and lead and file it with the shipment documents for the UK importer; we do not test batteries.

Documents & compliance
Test reports, safety data sheets and import certificates come from the shipper, factory and importer, not from Anxin; our part is to review them before booking.

Most delays on this route start with a document that exists but does not match: a UN number, a model name or a package count that differs between the Dalian filings, the carrier booking and the United Kingdom import file. We check the three against each other before the booking is confirmed.
Carriers we book with
Our booking panel; availability on this lane and acceptance of the declared UN numbers are confirmed for each booking. It does not mean that a listed carrier runs a direct service on this route. Carrier choice depends on the trade lane, cargo classification and each carrier's dangerous-goods acceptance at booking. The final carrier is confirmed on the booking.
Risk & mitigation
| Risk | Where | Mitigation | Who acts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy weather off South Africa | Cape of Good Hope | CINS stuffing and blocking checks before sealing | Packing site, checked by Anxin |
| Entry summary not lodged and the box rolls | Loading port, Dalian | Filer and data settled at booking | Bill-of-lading issuer |
Questions
The crossed-out wheeled bin symbol at a minimum size, on the packaging if the battery is too small, and for portable rechargeables a capacity in mAh or Ah on the battery and the packaging front.
It depends on the service. In September 2026 most Asia–North Europe capacity still sailed round the Cape of Good Hope; Sea-Intelligence put the Red Sea share for North Europe vessels at 27%. We ask the carrier to confirm the routing on the booking and quote each routing separately.
Dayaowan MSA reported in 2024 that omissions and misdeclarations of lithium battery cargo were frequent because the rules are complex, and it uses AI document comparison. Consistent data across the declaration, SDS and packing documents is the main defence.
References
Next step
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We check carrier acceptance for Dalian → Hartlepool before any booking, and ask for missing battery documents first.
All destinations from Dalian · United Kingdom ports

Share the cargo facts; we review the route in writing.
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